Q&A Hero

Q: A bias in the workplace in favor of heterosexuality is known as homophobia.

Q: Discrimination against people with physical disabilities has been virtually eliminated by the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991.

Q: Some race categories include people who vary greatly in terms of ethnicity.

Q: Older workers can defuse age bias by demonstrating up-to-date skills, flexibility, and reasonable pay expectations.

Q: Race denotes a category of people who are perceived as distinctive on the basis of certain culturally inherited traits.

Q: Jon's coworkers feel that his sense of humor and some of his behaviors are very prejudicial. Most likely, Jon is also aware of his prejudices against others.

Q: Cutting off older workers from job-related training and career development opportunities is a form of subtle discrimination.

Q: Individuals' prejudices toward one another tend to increase during times of economic prosperity.

Q: Clashes related to ethnocentrism are more likely to arise in a workplace with increased diversity.

Q: The most common and powerful stereotypes focus on observable personal attributes.

Q: An individual's religious beliefs, ethnic customs, and communication style are all secondary characteristics of diversity.

Q: Throughout life, we often prejudge people most on their primary dimensions.

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Individuals generally form their self-images based on certain primary dimensions of their choosing.

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Refer to Case 15.1. Joan's closing is an example of what steps an organization can take to enhance diversity? a. Review employment practices. b. Create additional education programs. c. Implement an affirmative action program. d. Consider and begin a committed organizational redesign.

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Refer to Case 15.1. What might be an economic cost for the company due to Bob's comment regarding "soft, fat, college-educated kids" who might be participating in the presentation? a. Comments received as an insult will create tension among workers and customers. b. Employees. c. A possible loss of highly skilled workers from the company could occur. d. There will be no economic cost as a result of his statement.

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Refer to Case 15.1. Joan's presentation on the possibility of people leaving, tension, and sabotage can all be grouped under the heading of a. diversity conflict resolution and teambuilding. b. subtle forms of discrimination and their consequences. c. the economics of valuing diversity. d. the need for affirmative action.

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Refer to Case 15.1. Jane's comments are an example of ____ prejudice. a. gender b. race c. age d. sexual orientation

Q: Case 15.1 Topco, Inc. is a manufacturer of electric fans and other low-tech cooling devices. Joan is the HR director. She is conducting a workshop for her managers on valuing diversity. In an open discussion about the managers' concerns on this topic, Bob says, "I don't care what someone's race or gender, or whatever, is. I just have a tough time with the soft, fat, college-educated kids who come in here and tell me how to do my job." Jane chimes in, "The real issue here is men's inability to relate to women, each other, and minorities. I've yet to meet a male manager who can really understand someone who's not one of his drinking buddies." After a few more comments, Joan continues with the training program. Joan spends some time demonstrating that highly skilled talented people will leave their company if not valued, how an inappropriate joke creates tension, and how failure to value individual employees could even lead to acts of sabotage. She then moves to brainstorming what each manager can do as an individual to enhance diversity. She closes the day's session with a discussion of how diversity training programs need to be seen as a process and need to have clear objectives that permit assessment and be supported by managers and top managers if they are to succeed. Refer to Case 15.1. Bob's concerns are an example of a. a non-diversity related problem. b. subtle discrimination based on secondary characteristics. c. a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. d. what would be normally called the primary characteristics of diversity.

Q: Which of the following is a point that supports affirmative action policies? a. Affirmative action creates preferences. b. Disadvantaged socioeconomic status is an appropriate indicator of need. c. It's purpose is to promote equal consideration. d. It requires extensive training for interviewing prospective employees.

Q: Affirmative action guidelines a. were established to remedy the effects of past discrimination. b. have limited access to certain protected groups of people. c. require employers to strive for an imbalance in their work force. d. celebrate the differences in the various groups protected by them.

Q: Which of the following pieces of advice might you not offer to an organization whose diversity training efforts are ineffective? a. Offer incentives to middle managers who incorporate diversity initiatives into hiring, development, and promotion decisions. b. Offer voluntary training that advances organizational goals. c. Hold leadership responsible for modeling behaviors that support diversity. d. Make training mandatory, primarily to avoid liability in diversity lawsuits.

Q: When thinking about what individual employees can do to enhance workplace diversity, it is important to remember that a. it is more difficult for men than women to eliminate prejudices. b. one cannot completely eliminate prejudices that have been held over a long period of time. c. examining one's social conditioning only reinforces one's prejudices d. being sensitive to differences between individuals indicates lingering prejudice.

Q: As organizations enhance diversity, which employment practice should they adopt? a. Limit the race and gender of employees. b. Recognize that subtle biases will always exist and not much can be done about them. c. Design a plan that actively recruits men and women of different ethnicity, disabilities, and sexual orientation. d. All of these.

Q: What can an individual do to enhance diversity? a. Develop a sensitivity to differences. b. Establish a way to monitor discriminatory practices. c. Make sure top management is committed to participative management. d. Subjectively examine and reinforce personal stereotypes.

Q: When an individual creates a personal "diversity profile," the person is a. counting the number of African Americans who work at his company. b. assessing the diversity of his friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. c. identifying trends among different ethnic and racial groups. d. developing a relaxed attitude about cultural differences.

Q: The process of creating an organizational culture where the primary and secondary dimensions of diversity are respected is known as a. affirmative action. b. the economics of valuing diversity. c. managing diversity. d. ethnocentrism.

Q: In the begining of Chapter 15 it makes the point that laid-off workers a. sue a company for discrimination more often in a poor economy. b. are usually physically handicapped. c. have difficulty if they are in a minority. d. are usually the less skilled and talented employees.

Q: Which of the following is good definition of subtle discrimination? a. Several 50-60 year old employees are given early retirement packages so that the organization can grow by hiring double the number of young job applicants. b. Management neglects to respond to an African-American employee's complaints about receiving harassing emails. c. People who do not value differences often equate difference with a deficiency. d. The rest of Janice's management team is composed of men who schedule important meetings without her and limit her access to important documents.

Q: Which of the following is true regarding discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation? a. It is prohibited by federal law as mandated by the Civil Rights Act of 1991. b. It is becoming a larger issue as individuals are less willing to hide their orientation at work. c. It is not an issue as it only affects a small portion of the working population. d. Very few large companies are dealing with the issue; it is mostly addressed in small to medium-sized businesses where working relationships are closer.

Q: Based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, organizations may be deemed discriminatory to those with disabilities if they a. make special accommodations for accessing the workplace. b. reject disabled applicants who, with or without accommodations, cannot perform essential job duties. c. draw attention to various disabilities in a diversity training session. d. terminate high-performing alcoholic employees.

Q: Which of the following statements are true regarding age in the workplace? a. Older workers are unable to adapt to the changing workplace. b. Older workers have a more difficult time understanding the latest technology. c. Older workers are productive, cost-effective employees. d. Older workers cost companies more in health benefits.

Q: People can easily be discriminated against based on race because a. race is a primary dimension of diversity that can't be changed. b. racism is a conscious bias for most people. c. genetic science categorically justifies that racial differences exist. d. people have direct experiences with people from different racial groups.

Q: Over recent years, the American economy has slipped into recession. In these times, it is possible to avoid fueling prejudices a. by stiffening immigration laws and quotas. b. if individuals of different racial and ethnic backgrounds but roughly similar socioeconomic backgrounds make efforts to relate with one another. c. by outsourcing more jobs overseas. d. if individuals focus less on primary dimensions of diversity and more on secondary dimensions.

Q: Kenneth's girlfriend accuses him of ethnocentrism. This means that Kenneth tends to a. regard his own culture as better or more "correct" than other cultures. b. believe that other cultures are better than his own. c. display an attitude in favor of or against people based solely on primary or secondary dimensions. d. make generalizations about all members of a particular group of people.

Q: Rafael distrusts people with a New England accent because when he was a child, a person with that type of accent swindled his father in a car deal. This is an example of prejudice formed by a. ethnocentrism. b. cultural myopia. c. childhood experience. d. economics.

Q: An individual demonstrates prejudice when he/she a. monitors and analyzes his/her stereotypical views. b. takes a critical and honest look at myths about peoples. c. is able to manage his/her ethnocentrism. d. makes judgments without examining the facts.

Q: Which of the following is a secondary dimension of diversity? a. Gender b. Religious beliefs c. Physical abilities d. Sexual orientation

Q: What does it mean to value diversity? a. Recognizing that everyone has differences. b. Behaving as though individual and cultural differences don't exist. c. Having an ethnically diverse management in the organization. d. Respecting differences and encouraging every worker to make a full contribution to the organization.

Q: What is resilience, and how can you develop it?

Q: Create two brief case studies of two different individuals: one that clearly illustrates depression and one that clearly illustrates anxiety.

Q: What would you recommend as the two most effective stress management techniques, and why?

Q: How can you tell if you are under too much stress?

Q: Explain the relationship between technology, work-life imbalance, and stress.

Q: Explain the relationship between technology, multitasking, and stress.

Q: What is stress, and where does it come from?

Q: Than has been going to school full-time and working part-time. She is fatigued and often running late. Her mood is waning, and concentrating is growing more difficult with each day that passes. Than is suffering from the stresses of ____________________.

Q: Although managing stress is also a personal responsibility, many organizations offer ____________________ to help employees overcome anxiety, depression, burnout, and alcohol and drug abuse.

Q: Amy is often restless and has trouble concentrating. She spends so much time planning her assignments and ruminating about what she should do in case X, Y, or Z happens that she ends up with little time to properly execute and finish the task. Her performance seems to be suffering due to the psychological disorder of ____________________.

Q: Many surveys say that ________ _________is what most workers want from their jobs.

Q: Moves, marriages, divorces, and job changes are all examples of ____________________ that could be potentially stressful to an individual.

Q: There are several physical symptons that appear to tell you that you are experiencing too much stress. One of them is _______________.

Q: A _____________ is an irrational fear of an object or situation.

Q: Continuous stress can cause physiological reactions that trigger chemical changes in the _____ and the ______.

Q: Adrenaline rushes, quick breathing, and increased heart rate are all examples of how we instinctively react to stressful situations with the ____________________.

Q: Study after study proves that ____________________ is the number one treatment for stress and tension for most people.

Q: An effective technique for avoiding burnout is to explain how other tasks will be delayed if one takes on another task.

Q: Mental illness affects the majority of the U.S. population.

Q: Business men and women take 10 to 20 minutes to meditate before important meetings as that is about the minimum time to gain its benefits.

Q: People can decrease their stress level by being kind.

Q: Solitude is a form of isolation and is not a good practice for stress reduction.

Q: Deep breathing exercises help minimize stress because they force you to focus on the moment rather than stressful things.

Q: The use of humor is an effective stress reducing strategy.

Q: Stress management techniques have no impact if stress is not currently a problem.

Q: While exercise can help release the effects of stress, it does nothing to increase a person's ability to handle stress.

Q: Developing a sleep ritual such as going to bed and getting up at the same time as well as avoiding alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine will help with negative stress.

Q: Anxiety, depression, irritability, and reduced interest in personal relationships are all signs of too much stress in a person's life.

Q: Someone with excellent technical skills is most likely to become a good supervisor.

Q: Wei is trying to complete her project by deadline. In the distance, she hears the muffled but persistent noises of jackhammering on the street. Inside, her cell phone ringtone loudly pierces her concentration. The cell phone ringtone is likely to be most stressful to Wei.

Q: Surrendering to change requires a great deal of emotional energy, which may cause more stress.

Q: Work environment stressors can be lessened by putting up family pictures, adding a plant or objects that put you in a good mood..

Q: A weakened ability to focus on a given activity or assignment through completion is a sign of multi-tasking stress.

Q: During rumination, people are able to reflect on their challenges then feel emotionally energized to overcome them.

Q: While some organizations help decrease their employees' stress levels through a variety of employee assistance programs, it is up to the individual to take responsibility for personal stress.

Q: Stress can mobilize our energy for coping with challenges in both positive and negative ways.

Q: Steve has had trouble sleeping lately and feels fatigued. Making sound decisions is nearly impossible. He is exhibiting physical and emotional symptoms of stress.

Q: Case 14.1 XYZ Corporation is undergoing a merger with a larger company. This change will bring XYZ into the twenty-first century technologically but will bring about a number of changes. As XYZ is the acquired company, about one-third of its work force will be laid off. The reasons for the layoff have been clearly explained, and Virginia, the respected president of XYZ, is implementing the layoff in the best interests of the company, even though it is very painful for her. A number of the best employees and managers started looking for new jobs before XYZ announced who would be laid off and who would stay. Most employees are putting in long hours, and the company exercise room is full as managers and employees try to burn off their fears and frustrations with these changes. Virginia is really excited about these changes and about the positive outcomes for the future of the company and its employees. Virginia has handled things well but is under a lot of pressure. She obsesses about being organized. She carries her pager into the restroom with her and is constantly talking on her cellular phone. She likes to have her computer terminal on whenever she's in the office, just in case she needs it, and is very uncomfortable when she has to travel without her laptop computer with its internal fax modem and cellular phone link. John was promoted from first-line supervisor to VP of operations because all of the other managers found new jobs when the merger was announced. He didn't want the job, but he had to take it to stay at XYZ. He's had to give up daily interaction with his production line people and begin doing things for which he has little preparation or experience and doesn't particularly care for, like attending lots of meetings. He's bearing up well and is able to handle the increased responsibilities. Refer to Case 14.1. Given the various stresses in this change for XYZ, what would be the most effective stress management strategy for Virginia and John and the other employees that they aren't already doing? a. Strenuous exercise b. Sleep c. Getting away on vacation d. None of these

Q: Case 14.1 XYZ Corporation is undergoing a merger with a larger company. This change will bring XYZ into the twenty-first century technologically but will bring about a number of changes. As XYZ is the acquired company, about one-third of its work force will be laid off. The reasons for the layoff have been clearly explained, and Virginia, the respected president of XYZ, is implementing the layoff in the best interests of the company, even though it is very painful for her. A number of the best employees and managers started looking for new jobs before XYZ announced who would be laid off and who would stay. Most employees are putting in long hours, and the company exercise room is full as managers and employees try to burn off their fears and frustrations with these changes. Virginia is really excited about these changes and about the positive outcomes for the future of the company and its employees. Virginia has handled things well but is under a lot of pressure. She obsesses about being organized. She carries her pager into the restroom with her and is constantly talking on her cellular phone. She likes to have her computer terminal on whenever she's in the office, just in case she needs it, and is very uncomfortable when she has to travel without her laptop computer with its internal fax modem and cellular phone link. John was promoted from first-line supervisor to VP of operations because all of the other managers found new jobs when the merger was announced. He didn't want the job, but he had to take it to stay at XYZ. He's had to give up daily interaction with his production line people and begin doing things for which he has little preparation or experience and doesn't particularly care for, like attending lots of meetings. He's bearing up well and is able to handle the increased responsibilities. Refer to Case 14.1. John's ability to handle the stress is probably due to his a. martini each night after work. b. excellent technical skills. c. resilience. d. limited use of technology.

Q: Case 14.1 XYZ Corporation is undergoing a merger with a larger company. This change will bring XYZ into the twenty-first century technologically but will bring about a number of changes. As XYZ is the acquired company, about one-third of its work force will be laid off. The reasons for the layoff have been clearly explained, and Virginia, the respected president of XYZ, is implementing the layoff in the best interests of the company, even though it is very painful for her. A number of the best employees and managers started looking for new jobs before XYZ announced who would be laid off and who would stay. Most employees are putting in long hours, and the company exercise room is full as managers and employees try to burn off their fears and frustrations with these changes. Virginia is really excited about these changes and about the positive outcomes for the future of the company and its employees. Virginia has handled things well but is under a lot of pressure. She obsesses about being organized. She carries her pager into the restroom with her and is constantly talking on her cellular phone. She likes to have her computer terminal on whenever she's in the office, just in case she needs it, and is very uncomfortable when she has to travel without her laptop computer with its internal fax modem and cellular phone link. John was promoted from first-line supervisor to VP of operations because all of the other managers found new jobs when the merger was announced. He didn't want the job, but he had to take it to stay at XYZ. He's had to give up daily interaction with his production line people and begin doing things for which he has little preparation or experience and doesn't particularly care for, like attending lots of meetings. He's bearing up well and is able to handle the increased responsibilities. Refer to Case 14.1. Amidst all the change, it is probably safe to say that Virginia is a. suffering from multitasking stresses. b. not emotionally hardy. c. currently experiencing burnout. d. in the midst of the fight or flight syndrome.

Q: Case 14.1 XYZ Corporation is undergoing a merger with a larger company. This change will bring XYZ into the twenty-first century technologically but will bring about a number of changes. As XYZ is the acquired company, about one-third of its work force will be laid off. The reasons for the layoff have been clearly explained, and Virginia, the respected president of XYZ, is implementing the layoff in the best interests of the company, even though it is very painful for her. A number of the best employees and managers started looking for new jobs before XYZ announced who would be laid off and who would stay. Most employees are putting in long hours, and the company exercise room is full as managers and employees try to burn off their fears and frustrations with these changes. Virginia is really excited about these changes and about the positive outcomes for the future of the company and its employees. Virginia has handled things well but is under a lot of pressure. She obsesses about being organized. She carries her pager into the restroom with her and is constantly talking on her cellular phone. She likes to have her computer terminal on whenever she's in the office, just in case she needs it, and is very uncomfortable when she has to travel without her laptop computer with its internal fax modem and cellular phone link. John was promoted from first-line supervisor to VP of operations because all of the other managers found new jobs when the merger was announced. He didn't want the job, but he had to take it to stay at XYZ. He's had to give up daily interaction with his production line people and begin doing things for which he has little preparation or experience and doesn't particularly care for, like attending lots of meetings. He's bearing up well and is able to handle the increased responsibilities. Refer to Case 14.1. The primary cause of stress for most of the employees of XYZ would most likely be a. noise pollution. b. incompetent leadership. c. technostress. d. the change brought on by the acquisition.

Q: Case 14.1 XYZ Corporation is undergoing a merger with a larger company. This change will bring XYZ into the twenty-first century technologically but will bring about a number of changes. As XYZ is the acquired company, about one-third of its work force will be laid off. The reasons for the layoff have been clearly explained, and Virginia, the respected president of XYZ, is implementing the layoff in the best interests of the company, even though it is very painful for her. A number of the best employees and managers started looking for new jobs before XYZ announced who would be laid off and who would stay. Most employees are putting in long hours, and the company exercise room is full as managers and employees try to burn off their fears and frustrations with these changes. Virginia is really excited about these changes and about the positive outcomes for the future of the company and its employees. Virginia has handled things well but is under a lot of pressure. She obsesses about being organized. She carries her pager into the restroom with her and is constantly talking on her cellular phone. She likes to have her computer terminal on whenever she's in the office, just in case she needs it, and is very uncomfortable when she has to travel without her laptop computer with its internal fax modem and cellular phone link. John was promoted from first-line supervisor to VP of operations because all of the other managers found new jobs when the merger was announced. He didn't want the job, but he had to take it to stay at XYZ. He's had to give up daily interaction with his production line people and begin doing things for which he has little preparation or experience and doesn't particularly care for, like attending lots of meetings. He's bearing up well and is able to handle the increased responsibilities. Refer to Case 14.1. When some employees began looking for new jobs, this is an example of a. resilience and planning ahead to take control of their situation. b. the fight or flight syndrome response to stress. c. an adaptation to burnout. d. technostress.